BLACKSBURG, Va. - Pitching was the theme of the day as the
Virginia Tech softball team swept a pair of games from East Tennessee
State University Wednesday afternoon at Tech Softball Park. The
Hokies won the first game, 8-0 in six innings, before winning the
second game 2-0. For the two games, three Virginia Tech pitchers
limited the Bucs to four hits.

In the opener, Bronwyn Blair, Shanel Garofalo and Maura Green each
had three hits and Mindi Wylie had two hits to pace the offense. But
it was freshman walk-on Courtney Brinkman who made the biggest noise.
With the Hokies leading 6-0 in the sixth, Brinkman stepped to the
plate in her first-career at-bat and doubled home two runs to end the
game.

Clarisa Crowell got the start on the mound, going four innings to get
the win. She improved to 6-4 on the year with her eight-strikeout
performance. Ashlee Dobbe came on in the fifth with the score 2-0 and
pitched the rest of the way to pick up her first save of the year.
Melonie Collins and Miranda Byerly had the lone hits for the Bucs
(8-19).

In the second game, Tech once again got strong pitching as it came
away with a 2-0 win. Dobbe got the start, but went a pre-planned
three innings, striking out four. Catherine Gilliam (W, 8-4) came
into the game in the fourth inning and went the rest of the way. She
struck out two and carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. But
Collins singled to lead-off the inning and Byerly doubled shortly
after to break up the no-hitter.

At the plate, Garofalo went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Crowell went
2-for-3. For the day, Garofalo went 5-for-5 with two RBI. Blair had
three steals on the day for the Hokies.

Tech (25-13) is back in action this weekend, taking to the road for
four BIG EAST games. The Hokies (5-1 BIG EAST) are scheduled to face
Rutgers on Saturday and Villanova on Sunday. Both doubleheaders are
scheduled to begin at noon.